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NBA Picks

NBA Picks Raptors +7 vs. Trail Blazers

One night after getting a big win against the depleted Nuggets, the Raptors head into the Great Northwest for their date with the Blazers. The NBA Odds have the Raptors as +7 underdogs tonight in Portland with a total of 205 ½. Will Toronto tame the Blazers, or will the Blazers hunt the Raptors?

Lowry’s Merry Band of Misfits

Kyle
Lowry got snubbed from the All Star team, and because the fans unnecessarily
voted Kyrie Irving in, Lowry was the guy who took the fall. However tonight
against Damian Lillard’s less than amazing defense, I could see Lowry leading
the Raptors in scoring.

Toronto
also got a nice present last night with the return of their guy that did make
the All Star team, DeMar DeRozan. While he didn’t go off for 40 points, his presence
on both ends of the floor was huge for the Raptors. It will be more of the same
tonight against Portland. DeRozan will have to guard either Nicolas Batum or
Wesley Matthews all night, neither of which are an easy cover. However with how
well he has been playing, I’ll still take DeRozan in that matchup on short
rest.

The
Raptors will matchup nicely in the post with the Blazers, and even though
LaMarcus Aldridge will probably get his, the rest of the Blazers don’t have
great matchups tonight, and that might not be enough to beat a good defensive
team like the Raptors. Toronto is 6-4 ATS playing on the second night of a back
to back, and I think they continue to trend tonight.

The Sharp Pick

Not only
are the Raptors good on no rest, but they have also been great as road
underdogs this season. The Raptors are 12-4 ATS as road dogs in the NBA odds this season, and
with DeRozan back to anchor their defense on the wing, the Blazers are going to
find it hard to score outside of their All Star power forward.

A little
over two weeks ago, I was doing an NBA video with Pete Loshak and I mentioned
that it might be time to start fading the Blazers, and even though it took a
few games, I have been correct over the last few weeks. The Blazers are only
1-5 ATS in their last six games overall, and with the exception of their win
against the Wolves a week ago, the Blazers haven’t been great recently.

When sportsbooks have favored them at home this season, the Blazers are only 10-11 ATS, while the Raptors
have gone 10-5 SU in their last 15 games. I expect the All Star snub Lowry to
lock in on the young All Star, Lillard tonight, and if Lillard isn’t producing
on the offensive end, Aldridge will literally have to score 45 points tonight
for the Blazers to cover a massive spread of -7. Even tired, I think the
Raptors are going to put up a real fight tonight, and though the Blazers might
win this game SU, I doubt they are able to win the game by eight or more
points. The time to fade the Blazers has already begun, and it should continue
tonight in your NBA picks.